Here’s a list of 7 reasons why you may want to choose building up your omega 3 stores:

1. Bye, Bye Depression

Studies have confirmed (if you care about what studies say!) that omega 3 oils can decrease the symptoms of depression. Most research points to the EPA and DHA as the factors that contribute to getting you in a better mood.

Omega 3 oils have also been effective for helping new moms with postpartum depression. The process of pregnancy can leave a mom pretty depleted of many nutrients and omega 3 oils is one that can help once the baby is born.

Some studies show that up to 90%+ are deficient in omega 3 oils, so imagine how much better we’d all feel if we just made a conscious effort to eat more walnuts… maybe world peace?

2. Smooth, Supple Skin.

Omega 3 oils are essential for healthy skin. Using these oils internally can help build strong and plump skin cells that give you a glow that no cosmetic can match.

You can use these oils externally as well to protect and feed your skin, since this massive organ loves to feed itself with healthy oils.

3. Lift Brain Fog.

But, just like omega 3 oils are great to help change you from depressed to happy, they’re also great to help lift your mood.

Think of it this way…

60% of your brain is fat.

The majority of that are essential fatty acids.

So if you’re deficient, then you’re brain just won’t work properly.

With your essential fatty acids, if you don’t give your brain enough, then your thinking conditions change just as dramatically.

4. Ease joint pain.

I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard about omega 3 oils improving joint pain.

It even worked for me.

Before I started experimenting with omega 3 oils, my knees would ache badly after a run. It wasn’t overuse pain, though. It was a deep aching inside my joints.

I thought maybe this was the start of a transition into my older age, but I started to take omega 3 oils based on a suggestion from a colleague and the pain went away in weeks.

It never came back.

So apparently, there’s something to this…

Try it for yourself and see.

5. Prevent Cancer Cell Growth

Your level of inflammation is one of the biggest factors you can use to predict your chances of disease.

People with higher levels of inflammation are more likely to have heart issues, diabetes, and cancer. Thermography is a screening tool that you can use to see if you have excessive inflammation in the body and some preliminary data shows that it’s a decent indicator of identifying the risk of cancer as well.

Lower your inflammation, lower your chances of disease.

6. Boost your immune system.

Just like above, if you can reduce inflammation, you also can boost your immune system.

By reducing the inflammation in the body, you also increase immune system efficiency. Increasing omega-3 fatty acids will give you a higher amount of eicosanoids which are responsible for regulating immune and inflammation responses.

7. Lower your risk of heart disease.

Omega 3 oils have been shown to lower triglycerides which are fats in the blood. This is good news for anyone who has a high risk of heart disease.

Lower fat in the blood allows your hormones to function properly and keeps your arteries safe from potential clogging. What are the best sources of Omega 3 Oils?

There are many places to get your omega 3 oils and it’s up to you to find out which one works best for you.

Decisions that you need to make are if you want plant sources or animal sources (or both) and if your body is actually able to absorb and use the kind you’re taking. (Plant sources many times require conversion in the body that some people do better than others.)

Food sources of omega 3 fatty acids include…

Plant Sources:

Walnuts

Algae

Sacha Inchi

Flax Seeds

Chia Seeds

Non-Plant Sources:

Fish

Krill

Eggs

Please note: Farm raised fish usually have little omega 3 oils due to a primarily corn feed diet. This is the same for non-grass feed beef.

The Benefits There are many health benefits from eating seafood. It is an exceptional source of high quality protein and essential vitamins and minerals, but is generally low in calories, saturated fat and sodium. Many varieties of fish contain the very beneficial polyunsaturated fat called Omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and triglycerides. New research is beginning to show that these healthy fats may also reduce the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, asthma and colitis, as well as help treat depression and bipolar disease.

The Dangers For most individuals, commercial fish and recreationally caught fish are safe to eat. However, many fish contain varying levels of substances that are thought to be toxic to the body. These substances include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methylmercury (MeHg).

According to the US Department of Agriculture, farm-raised salmon have a higher overall fat content than wild salmon, yet both varieties are similar in Omega-3 content. Since farm-raised salmon contain more fat, they may be contaminated with more PCBs and other pollutants and pesticides. Farm-raised salmon are also fed fishmeal that may be contaminated with PCBs.

Methylmercury occurs naturally in the environment and nearly all fish contain traces of it. Larger fish, such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish contain the highest amounts.

Guidelines for Those at Risk While most fish are safe to eat, consumption of some types of fish may present serious health concerns for women who might become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. Therefore, the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency have issued the following guidelines for these individuals. By following these guidelines, these women and young children can receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish, yet reduce their exposure to the harmful toxins:

Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most common are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

Another commonly eaten fish is albacore (white) tuna, but it has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local water, but do not consume any other fish during that week.

To reduce exposure to PCBs, trim the fat before broiling, baking, or grilling fish. All of these methods are preferable to frying because they enable the PCB content in the fat to cook off.

Though more costly, choosing wild and canned Alaskan salmon over farmed-raised salmon will help to decrease the PCB contamination.

When feeding fish and shellfish to young children follow the guidelines listed above, but serve smaller, child-size portions.

General Guidelines for OthersDon’t be scared away from the vast fish and seafood smorgasbord. Indeed, nothing in life is risk-free. Limit the "big fish" (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish), enjoy tuna in moderation, and watch for local fish advisories. Reel in and enjoy the rest, for you can’t beat the taste and healthy benefits!

These heart-healthy fats may play a key role in keeping our brains and bodies healthy. A nutritious diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation, prevent heart disease and arthritis, positively impact behavior, contains skin enhancing properties and cognitive function.

Include the following foods in your food-lifestyle to benefit from the amazing health-enhancing properties of all types of Omega-3s.

Flaxseed Flaxseed is the richest source of ALA. Meet your Omega-3 needs with 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed (3,800 mg of Omega-3s). Learn more about storing and using flaxseed. Don't stop with this seed! Pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds also contain ALA.

Salmon This coldwater fish contains between 900 and 1,800 mg of DHA and EPA per 3-oz serving. While salmon is the most talked about source of Omega-3s, the same size serving of lake trout can contain more (1,700 mg), while herring, halibut and flounder are also good sources of Omega-3s. Aim for 2 servings (3-4 ounces cooked portion) of fish weekly.

Enriched Eggs Omega-3-enriched eggs contain all three types of omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to adding flaxseed or algae to the diets of egg-producing hens. These specialty eggs contain about 60-150 milligrams of Omega-3's per egg. That may seem like a small amount compared to these other sources, but it's still three times the Omega-3's you'd find in ordinary eggs, making enriched eggs another convenient way to get your Omega-3s if you're not a fish eater. Up to 4 of these eggs weekly can easily fit into your heart-healthy lifestyle, according to the American Heart Association.

Walnuts Another excellent source of ALA (2,600 mg in 1 oz), walnuts can be sprinkled on salads, cereal, oatmeal and added to your favorite baked goods. Other nuts that contain omega-3s include pecans and butternuts (also called white walnuts).

Sardines This tiny fish are rich in DHA and EPA, and less expensive than other types of fish. Add them to sandwiches, pizzas, salads or as a topping for snack crackers or bread. Since canned sardines are higher in sodium, balance out your meal with low sodium fruits and veggies.

Disease and Illness You may be aware you have one of these conditions or just think you might, but it could be the source of your weight gain.

Thyroid problems. A common but sometimes undiagnosed cause of weight gain is hypothyroidism. It causes a deficiency in the thyroid hormones leading to fatigue, weight gain and slowed metabolism though much of the weight loss associated with its regulation comes from loss of accumulated body fluids.

Cushing’s syndrome. This syndrome is caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body, the same one that’s released when you’re feeling stressed, and causes your body to react in much the same way it would to stress, storing energy and putting on weight.

Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency. Essential fatty acids, such as in flaxseed oil, help our bodies to manufacture hormones and maintain a good metabolism. Deficiencies in these can cause cravings for unhealthy foods and metabolic problems and over time, weight gain.

Kidney disease. One of the symptoms of kidney disease can be weight gain due to fluid retention. If you’re noticing an especially large amount of bloating without a particular reason, head to your doctor as soon as you can to rule out this serious condition.

Heart trouble. An sign of heart trouble may actually be weight gain. This can be caused by your body retaining more fluid than usual. If you can push your fingertip into the skin and it leaves a mark rather than springing back you’re retaining water and should head to the doctor.

Blood sugar imbalances. Eating simple carbs can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar which in turn can cause more cravings for sugary foods as your body struggles to maintain a balance.

Ovarian cysts. Women should look out for polycystic ovary syndrome. It can potentially cause a weight gain of up to 30 pounds over a period of years and over goes unnoticed because it’s so gradual. Caregivers are unsure why exactly it causes weight gain but have noted that it appears to be genetic, so get checked out if you know a family member who’s had it.

Tumors. In women, sometimes rapid, unexplained weight gain can be associated with ovarian tumors. Many of these are benign, but if left unchecked can grow to huge proportions.

Liver dysfunction. Problems with the liver can often be associated with weight gain. Your body may start retaining excess fluid and you will notice a little tightness around your waistline even though you have little appetite. If you suspect this is the reason for your weight gain get to the doctor ASAP.

Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia often causes weight gain as it causes hormonal imbalances, affecting levels of cortisol, thyroid, serotonin and insulin, as well as the production of growth hormones. This means your metabolism can slow down and you can put on weight.

Breast cancer treatments. Women undergoing chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer may find that they are packing on a few extra pounds. This phenomenon is not yet understood, but shouldn’t be a major cause for alarm if treatment is going well.

Adrenal dysfunction. Dysfunctions in the adrenal glands can lead to imbalances in your body’s hormones, upsetting your metabolism and natural balance. Sometimes, this can lead to a noticeable gain in weight.

Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can prevent you from getting a truly restful nights sleep and because of this lack of sleep leave you feeling unrested, stressed out and irritable. Not getting enough sleep can lead to the slowing of your metabolism and sometimes cravings for less than healthy foods.